


some kind of wonderful

by mochaaaa



Series: the golden rule [2]
Category: The Mandalorian (LadyIrina AU), The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: A bit of UST, But also complicated, Domesticity, Fluff, Found Family, Gender Dysphoria, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Transphobia, Love Confessions, M/M, More tags to be added, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, POV Third Person Limited, Trans Male Character, Unresolved Romantic Tension, We Die Like Men, Wishful Thinking, Wordcount: 5.000-15.000, a mention of previous sexual experiences, all already written, as always, baby steps are being taken. for now at least, but complicated, but its like. A thing, corin's STARTING to not be quite as much of a dumbass, din's a bi disaster and i love him for it, din's not quite an idiot but he IS in denial about many things, don't let that intimidate you they make some good progress here i promise, gonna update weekly woot, i have been writing this thing since february, in future chapters as a warning:, its starting to get real, multiple chapters coming, not really detailed at all, oh no theres only one bed, once again DO NOT MISUSE A CHEST BINDER, switching POVs each chapter, talking about feelings, the first chapter's gonna be the shortest most likely, the pining is REAL in this one, titled based on a song, trans!corin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:22:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23639788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mochaaaa/pseuds/mochaaaa
Summary: In which Din, Corin, and the child stop by a backwater planet to stretch their legs and earn a few credits.But, things never go exactly as they're supposed to, do they?~There had to be some logical explanation for this. Right?Sharing a bed was one thing.But they wereso closeas he fell asleep, he must’ve gravitated towards Din’s body heat. It'd always been a problem for him as a Trooper. And now, his head rested on the other man’s chest, his ankle hooked around his calf, his arm thrown over Din’s waist, andoh, he could feel theskinwhere his shirt rode up-“There’s so many things I should say to you, Corin. Things you deserve to hear.”
Relationships: Corin the Stormtrooper (Rescue and Regret)/The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)
Series: the golden rule [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701856
Comments: 51
Kudos: 162





	1. All you have to do is touch my hand (To show me you understand)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyIrina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIrina/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Family and Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21758992) by [LadyIrina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIrina/pseuds/LadyIrina). 



> wow.
> 
> i have so much to say about this fic and no words at the same time.
> 
> as i write this note, i'm wearing my first binder, a GC2B that i finally got today. something i have been waiting for for a long time. i'm not nearly out of the woods yet, in my personal life, but as hard as writing this fic has been at times, it's gotten me through an awful lot, too.
> 
> so much love, of course, for LadyIrina, who we would not have Corin without. who lets writers like me write her character as we'd like. who's truly a very sweet person, one who will hopefully see how much we all love her, someday soon.
> 
> & a very special thanks to the discord. everyone on there seems content to put up with my bullshit as long as i'll dish it out, ESPECIALLY the thirsty crew. you know who you are. I really couldn't fully express my gratitude to ALL of you with the space i'm given here, in these notes.
> 
> layeredlikeanonion, ner ori'vod. oni, my drift compatible fellow poet. the introvert to my extrovert, the functional bi to my chaos. my rock. thank you for having stuck with me through all of it- for always having my back, for being patient with me, reassuring me, and of course, writing in thirsty-ho-club with me. ni kart'ayl gar darasuum :)
> 
> another note to all my trans people. don't ever give up. i know right now, in particular, is a hard time for a lot of people- especially for a lot of us. no matter what, please know that i see you. you really are not alone. and may the force be with you all <3

Din wasn’t very sure what he should do next.

Which was quite a surprise, to him, because he _always_ knew what to do next. Or at least had a rough idea. 

His instincts had gotten him this far, hadn't they?

But, Corin had shared something that was obviously extremely personal to him, and in the few months since, it had hardly come up.

He really wanted to talk about it- he was desperate to know more about this man he’d been travelling with for so long, already. 

Not only that- he wanted Corin to know he was there for him. Someone he could talk to on his own terms, which he’d probably never had before in his life.

The thing was, he didn’t want to force Corin to talk about anything he didn’t want to discuss.

Nor did he want to force him into anything _else_.

So, Din said nothing.

Instead, he continued doing what he always did- watching, just safely enough out of the side of the visor, and ensuring that Corin took care of himself.

~

It’d been a quiet day (well, standard day) in space.

They were headed for a little planet on the Outer Rim that Din would occasionally frequent when he was younger, as he'd informed Corin, and was still getting the hang of bounty hunting.

And if it was an excuse to relax a bit, while working an easy job or two, that was his problem, wasn’t it?

Corin was currently in the cockpit, the child cooing and gurgling in his lap as Corin tried to teach him about the few planets he was familiar with. Assumedly with not too terribly much success, considering how the little womp rat nearly always had his own agenda.

Corin’s navigational skills were improving, though, and Din really had to give him credit for that.

However, Corin must not have heard Din approaching to check on the progress of their course.

“Y’know, sometimes I wonder where your dad is from,” he sighed, gazing out into the infinite blackness outside, absently running his hand through a tuft of hair on the kid’s head.

Din froze completely. Should he have left? What if he heard something he shouldn’t have? But the pure affection in Corin’s voice was hard to resist.

More so every day.

“I’ve wondered what _he_ was like, when he was a kid. Did he get to play with other children? Probably not, judging by how he talks to people,” Corin mused. The child cooed, seemingly in agreement.

 _Little traitor_ , Din thought, though he couldn’t stop himself from smiling, just a bit. Corin really wanted to know about his past. Enough that he would mention it to the kid.

“He’s pretty guarded. But, he’s got a soft spot for you, kiddo.” He teasingly poked the child in the stomach, causing him to giggle profusely. Din smiled even wider, but his breath caught when the other man smiled, unaware the Mandalorian was watching.

He’d glimpsed the sight before, but it was relatively few and far between. If only he could figure out how to remedy that. There was no doubt about it- Corin had a beautiful, friendly smile, even with all the pain he’d been subjected to in his life. The kind of smile that lit up a room, and could melt even the coldest hearts.

And stars knew he had melted Din’s long ago.

Corin continued playing with the child, and an ease settled in Din’s stomach. A feeling that this was _right_ , this was where he was supposed to be. With an _aliit_.

Maybe the child wasn’t the only one he had a soft spot for.

Realizing he could be caught at any moment, however, he cleared his throat, trying to make it seem as though he was only now approaching.

“Oh, hey. I, uh, didn’t hear you come up.” Corin immediately flushed pink, and Din tried _very_ hard to not focus on how absolutely endearing that was. 

“Just seeing how far away we are. You should get some sleep, before we land. I don’t know how long it’s gonna take to find lodging.” Standing so that Corin’s eye roll was just barely visible, Din suppressed a chuckle. Even if he didn’t usually argue directly with Din, it was a good sign that he was finally letting his fiery attitude show, just a bit. “I’ll come knock when we’re about to land. Just get some sleep, okay?” 

Even if Corin hadn't mentioned it or showed any visible signs of discomfort, Din knew he needed to give his body a break. Certainly more often than he already did.

He might've been very, very stubborn, but Din was _more_ stubborn.

Corin lightly sighed, but relented, shoulders sagging a bit. Both of them were very aware of how he still struggled with taking care of himself. “Okay.” He stood, carefully handing the child over to Din. For a moment, he hesitated, seemingly studying the Mandalorian in front of him.

"Thank you.”

Din turned on one foot to face him, shifting the wiggling child to his left arm.

"For what?"

Corin's mouth quirked upwards, and Din momentarily gave himself the luxury of letting his eyes linger.

"For… everything, I guess. For caring." He smiled, but his eyes seemed… sad. Why was he sad? There was no way Din could let him go to sleep sad. He might have bad dreams, and Din couldn't do anything about it, then.

That's most certainly why he gently pulled Corin in by the back of the neck with his free hand, and set his _buy’ce_ against the other’s forehead. The only reason, of course. From a purely practical standpoint, it made sense.

And Din was a purely practical man.

Corin closed his eyes, and after a moment, Din let out an exhale, closing his own. 

He was feeling particularly greedy today, for some reason, but he couldn't focus well on that thought when his heart was pounding in his chest and resounding through his body. It was surprising that his beskar wasn’t vibrating with the power of it. 

Corin's hand came up to rest on his shoulder, and he made no attempt to break himself away from the contact. They remained there longer than _strictly_ necessary, but Din couldn't bring himself to give this up. 

After a few beats, Din released his companion, and gave him a small tap on the arm.

"Go rest," he murmured, trying and failing to sound stern.

Corin's bright eyes searched the visor. He smiled more genuinely, this time. Like he had only a few minutes earlier. 

"Goodnight."

Din nodded wordlessly, still reeling from the phantom touch on his shoulder, and Corin was gone.

He looked down at the child, who was nodding off, comfy just where he was.

Letting out a sigh, he sat in the pilot's seat, and turned his attention to the controls.

He was such a damn _fool_.

At this point, it was hard to deny his feelings for Corin, even to himself. There was no way around it- he’d have done anything the ex-Trooper asked of him, without so much as a complaint. Din wanted to wake up each day knowing the man was safe in his arms.

And, selfishly, that he was safe in Corin’s heart.

But, more importantly, Din wanted anything between them to happen because Corin wanted it to.

Not because he was paying a debt.

So, Din wouldn’t ask, not yet.


	2. Any time my little world is blue (I just have to look at you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corin's self-reflection leads to slight progress, if you can call it that.
> 
> He has a cute moment with the child, after landing.
> 
> Din's yearning gay panic is getting too powerful for his own good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is a few hours later than i intended to post!! between online classes, family, and the new chapter of hidden and revealed- and the discord, needless to say- i had to wait on necessary last minute edits.
> 
> also, i made the chapter a bit softer and took out some angst because we've suffered enough today.

Din had been right- sleep certainly wasn't a bad idea.

Corin begrudgingly allowed the Mandalorian that, if only in his own mind. 

The cockpit door shut with a metallic _clank_ behind him, leaving him alone on his side of the cold durasteel. He couldn't hear anything on the other side, and so did not linger- he'd found it was best to not let his mind dwell so casually on Din, and especially not when he was already tired.

He was only in his regular clothes and socks- his beskar and boots generally weren't necessary in the midst of space- so he could feel the inner workings of the ship pulse around him with every step. 

Inevitably, with the quiet, dim nature of the Crest, his mind wandered to his interaction with Din moments earlier. 

In a way, it was almost ironic how kind the Mandalorian was to him. Corin had gained his trust- even his affection, to some extent. He did everything Din asked, and then some. 

All without him having any clue how far Corin had fallen. 

Sometimes, in the midst of the most innocent, tender moments, the ever-so-slowly receding guilt would prickle him from the back of his mind. It would tell him the things he was already accustomed to hearing from it- hard to ignore completely, but gradually easier.

Once in the refresher, he closed and locked the door behind him- a subconscious force of habit, even when the intelligent part of his mind knew Din wouldn't leave the cockpit- and flipped the light off.

That made it _much_ easier for Corin as he closed his eyes and removed his shirt, followed by the garment around his chest. If he kept the light off and kept his eyes squeezed shut, he could imagine himself floating weightlessly in the darkness the Razor Crest protected him from. Finding the kind of solitude and peace he'd only achieved in personal retreats on the snow planet. Not a soul around who'd get close enough to judge him.

It was never realistic, of course- every Trooper knew that complete exposure in space would leave one dead in less than two minutes. His father certainly wouldn't have approved of his overactive imagination, even before. 

As he pulled only the shirt back on over his head, Corin belatedly realized- Din had inadvertently gotten close enough, in the midst of that storm, and hadn't judged him.

None of the rules he lived by that had gotten him this far appeared to apply to Din.

Did he feel it too? Whatever this was? Would he watch Corin leave the room, just barely able to stop himself from reaching out?

He could hope, right?

Corin left the refresher, and let himself take a brief moment to stretch, before climbing into the cot in the alcove. 

Yeah, he could hope. Whether it'd get him anywhere, he wasn't yet sure, but Din seemed to exist outside of luck- good or bad- as a constant. So maybe things worked differently, with him.

He soon fell asleep imagining the day he'd get his chance.

~

Not more than a few hours later, they were set to begin entering the planet's atmosphere. 

Corin couldn't remember what it was called, if he was being honest. In his spare time, he'd been studying planets and systems, mainly in the Outer Rim. It never hurt to be even slightly more familiar with his surroundings, and that was where they usually kept to.

But most of such details about this planet had slipped his mind.

All he could recall about the planet was an offhand comment the Mandalorian had made about the locals' wariness towards droids, and that Din had worked in the area years earlier.

They'd had quite the good luck streak lately, though. Landing wasn't bad at all, and to Corin's delight, it was _not_ a desert planet. Not even a hot or humid one.

It wasn’t as cold as he would’ve liked, that was for certain, but he couldn’t complain.

Especially not when the child toddled out of the ship excitedly, taking in their new, temporary surroundings.

And it really was beautiful. The horizon held towering, luscious green mountains, with a small creek at the gorge.

Corin couldn't help but smile as he jogged after the kid.

"Hey! Where do you think _you're_ going, mister?" 

Despite his deceiving size, the giggling child could move _very_ quickly. Fortunately, Corin was able to catch him before he ended up too far. He was trying to not run quite as much with the garment on, lately- another side effect of Din's more watchful eye and tendency to mother hen.

And he couldn't blame him, if he was being honest.

The kid simply laughed more when he was finally caught, wiggling irrepressibly in his grasp.

That’s when he got an idea.

He hoisted the child up to sit on his shoulders, little clawed hands gently grasping onto his hair. Luckily, his slightly grown-out hair prevented any real pain, and gave him something more substantial to hold onto.

Corin held onto the little one’s feet on either side of his head- as much as he could- and after making sure the child was perfectly safe in his position, supported by the fabric bag resting on his back, turned them to face the landscape.

“Look at that. You see that big, tall, forest-y thing? That’s a _mountain_. Sometimes they have snow on top, but this place is probably a little too warm for that. We'll have to talk to your dad about mixing up the planets we go to a bit more, yeah? And down there- the water. It’s a _river_. There’s probably fish, and frogs, and a whole bunch of things you’d love to eat. We still have food, though, so I’d prefer if you didn’t do that.”

The kid seemed to be listening surprisingly intently while he explained anything he could about the world around them. It all came naturally to Corin, really. Even if the child was just absorbing his speaking patterns and rhythms and had no idea what he was saying, it felt right to try and teach him as much as possible. He distantly wondered if Din had done this before he came around, had spoken with the child and taught him things as though he could respond and interact. 

Most signs pointed to yes, given his earlier encounters with the duo. The thought put a warmth in his chest he couldn't explain.

Corin suddenly noticed that he hadn’t seen nor heard Din in quite a while. Brows furrowed, Corin turned around hoping to find him somewhere near the ship, a few feet behind him. Perhaps gathering their weapons, or scouting out where they were headed, next.

Interestingly, he was met with a different sight.

Din seemed frozen in place as he leaned against the ship’s door frame, for some reason- obviously staring at Corin and the child. Had he done something wrong? The kid was secure, he’d made sure of that. So, what was the problem?

“...A-are you okay, Din?”

The Mandalorian abruptly coughed, then cleared his throat, before sharply tearing his gaze away from Corin and the child and stomping down the ramp- nearly tripping in the process.

Corin just barely stopped himself from laughing at the poor man, while Din pretended it didn’t happen and briskly caught up to the two of them.

“I’m fine. There’s a small town not far from here. If we leave now, we’ll make it to the inn there before the sun starts setting.”

That was definitely strange. Din usually wasn’t so abrupt with him. 

He also usually didn’t trip. 

...And what was the look about?

“Roger that.” Corin gently lifted the child from his shoulders and tucked him into his chest before catching up to Din, who'd already gotten a few paces ahead without Corin's noticing.

The Mandalorian absently rubbed his wrist with his opposite hand as he walked, and Corin unexpectedly flashed back to that time so long ago on the ship, and the job on Kerrco. It was the same spot, he realized, that he’d pressed his lips against. He could almost still feel the soft, warm skin, and fluttering heart beat. _Din’s_ heart beat. The proof that he was alive, that he was flesh and blood, just like Corin. 

That caught Corin's attention, as well, considering how Din had only been repeating the movement more and more often, as of late.

Corin reluctantly shrugged it off, but noted the proclivity, in the back of his mind. There was next to no chance it was connected- and in the past, he'd thought nothing of it- but he'd been wrong in his assumptions about Din, before.

Din said nothing else about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the planet they're on is at least based on bakura. picking a canon planet with few resources made me nervous though because i didn't wanna get something glaringly obviously wrong and not even know it lol. the thing about the locals not liking droids is actually canon for bakura, because of some of the history there. i immediately thought of din when i read that, and had to include it.
> 
> hope seeing into corin's mind too now adds to the dynamic im going for here. if not, well. *insert 'guess ill die' meme*
> 
> thank you for your lovely support, whether it be through hits, kudos or comments. i Very much do not like online classes and have to put a lot of undivided attention into those- which is surprisingly hard to do- so if im flighty and forget to respond I AM SO SORRY AaAAAH <3
> 
> next chapter should be about *checks notes* 1k longer than this one, if not a bit more so. things are definitely gonna start getting more interesting between these two.
> 
> now if youll excuse me imma go Eat some mac and cheese because all ive had today is a yogurt an energy drink and some cookies. - mocha


	3. I know I can't express (this feeling of tenderness)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see the return of one of the few things that can defeat the feared Mandalorian-
> 
> a single bed.
> 
> Corin's still being cute with the kid.
> 
> Din's still a complete idiot. One who lets his mind wander.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How long did i say this chapter would be? Like, 2.4k?
> 
> Well, its 2909 words, according to docs.
> 
> so more than double the last one. oops.
> 
> guess i got in the Zone TM while editing here because i lost a bet and can't visit the discord until tomorrow afternoon. (which was my fault, to be fair, for agreeing to the terms)
> 
> discord/ #thirsty-ho-club peeps~ check end notes. :)

Din wanted to _scream_.

Or bang his head against the wall, but that wouldn't have been aided much by his _buy'ce_.

The middle-aged brunette woman with who owned the only inn in town- Baylis, Din wanted to say her name was- remembered him, and offered him a discounted rate on the only vacant room she had.

“One bed, one bathroom. And I can provide a crib for the little one, no extra charge.” She smiled like she knew something Din didn’t while saying the word ‘bed’- and if he missed it in her voice, it was much harder to disregard it in the way her bright eyes crinkled at the corners. 

He elected to ignore it. The implications could drive him insane if he didn't.

A single bed. _What were the odds?_

He didn’t want to know. The Galaxy seemed to have a running bet against him, anyway.

Din briefly glanced to his side at Corin, who was momentarily busy settling a suspiciously smug-looking child a step behind him. Looking back at Baylis, he sighed, nodded, and gave her a small bag of credits.

“Thank you.”

~

Their room was on the smaller side, but well-maintained, at the very least. The refresher was directly across the room from the single bed, which, _of course,_ wasn't too terribly large.

Din didn't miss the way Corin's eyes lingered on it, but neither of them commented.

It'd been quite a few standard years since he'd been here, and things were considerably different. The people and buildings were the same, as well as the farmlands. But, this planet had been through it's share of ups and downs since he was a very young bounty hunter, just starting out.

Then again, so had the rest of the Galaxy. Few planets had remained unscarred by the war.

He couldn't lie, it made him wonder about Corin's past. More so now that he knew Corin was curious about his own.

Did he grow up in the Inner Rim, like the majority of Troopers did? If he did, how was he so _good_ in a fight? All the Stormtroopers he'd encountered could hardly point their blasters, let alone engage surprisingly well in melee or hand-to-hand combat. 

But Corin's voice broke him out of his thoughts. 

Sometimes, it was such a strange thing to have another adult around. Especially one more talkative and extroverted than himself. 

He'd grown comfortable living day-by-day, movement-by-movement, & was always caught off guard by mundane things such as conversation or eye contact. Nearly everything he did was with little social consideration in mind.

The exposure almost made him forget he was wearing a helmet.

"How did that lady know you?" Corin was curious. He'd probably been trying to piece together different possibilities in his head, and decided he may as well ask Din. And it was a perfectly normal thing to ask someone, really.

So there was no reason for him to falter at the suggestion of actually sharing something about himself, now. None at all.

"I tracked a bounty here, years ago. He was bothering the locals, so it wasn't too hard to find him, even just starting out. They promised to do whatever they could for me, if I ever returned." Din usually wouldn’t have taken them up on that- they’d paid him for the job, and that was enough for a Mandalorian.

Corin nodded, apparently considering his words thoughtfully, as though there were more questions circulating through his mind. Yet there was something holding him back from asking.

Guilt shot through him not for the first time. 

_It would’ve been easier if they both could’ve figured out how to talk._ How was he supposed to convince Corin that none of this was conditional? That he was allowed to be himself?

Din resisted the urge to move- towards or away from Corin, he wasn’t sure- as Corin sat down on the bed next to him, setting down the child so he could begin unpacking a few toys. The other man’s knee brushed against his own, briefly, in the process. 

It only served to remind him of the damn _bed_.

They'd shared beds, albeit larger ones, which lulled him into a false sense of security with just enough room to avoid the other man's touch. A necessary distance, for Corin's comfort, of course.

But… something felt different, here. He was afraid of making Corin uncomfortable with proximity, but Corin hadn't given a single sign that he was. 

The thought settled around Din like a heavy fog, clouding his vision and his lungs just enough to be noticeable. Corin hadn’t pushed him away since the knife wounds he’d received.

Hesitant at first, yes- mainly when Din would check on his injuries. But once it’d been clear that Din wasn’t going to react otherwise, his cautiousness lessened by the day.

Din cleared his throat. "I'm going to go get some food. I shouldn't be gone long."

Corin's mouth turned upwards, but immediately shifted into a confused pout as the child stuck a toy Corin had fashioned out of empty wires and tape into his mouth. 

“Hey, Don’t eat that, please. That’s not good for you. And I worked hard on it.”

Luckily, he managed to gently wrestle it away from the little terror, and faced Din again.

"Okay." A beat passed, and his features softened marginally. "Be safe, though."

Din’s heart jumped, but he stood with at least a bit of grace and dignity. He walked over to the kid, and gently rubbed a green ear, earning him a toothy grin and a gurgle. And if he smiled like a fool under the helmet, the other two were none the wiser.

Then he turned to Corin, and simply let himself act, for once. 

Gently, he placed a hand on either side of Corin's neck, almost able to feel his pulse through the thick, worn leather of his gloves. The warmth under his hands quickly seeped in. But he couldn’t bring himself to stop there.

Instead, he leaned down to place a light _kov’nyn_ on Corin’s forehead.

"Of course."

Corin smiled wider, if uncertain, and brought his hands up to rest on top of the gloved ones. The fingers that met one of his wrists dipped down under the sleeve to leave the faint traces of a touch, there.

The Mandalorian could've sworn he'd died and come back to life, right there.

It proved quite difficult a task to remove his hand, but Din wasn’t sure he’d be able to leave if he didn’t. 

He pulled away, and the pure energy that vibrated soothingly in the air between them was gone as soon as it came. 

Wordlessly, and not sparing himself a glance back at the other man, he left the room. 

~

When he later returned, a bag of food in hand, he only saw the child playing on the bed, at first.

Briefly, a multitude of panicked thoughts shot through his mind- but he heard water running from the refresher, and mentally cursed himself for assuming the worst. 

He sighed, retrieving the child’s food and his own. Removing his helmet, Din glanced at the closed refresher door, then back to the kid.

“You’ll have to forgive me for eating first, this time, _ad’ika_.” There was no way of knowing when Corin would come back into the room, and though the child would swallow reptiles whole whenever given half a chance, it still made him nervous when he attempted to eat food for adult beings.

The child didn’t seem to mind, though, and watched him with large eyes as he consumed the food. It was still a bit too hot to eat, but Din was simply content to put something in his empty stomach- and breathe the air outside the filters of his helmet.

He could practically hear Corin chastising him for not eating or sleeping enough, and grinned. Was it selfish to be glad someone cared about his well-being? It was all he could do to return the favor, whenever possible. And it worked- Corin had been visibly more well-rested, he’d noticed. Happier, even.

That had to be attributed to him getting much better sleep. 

Right?

Din finished his meal, drank water out of his canteen, and put his _buy’ce_ back on.

As he began to feed the kid, Corin emerged from the refresher. 

The Mandalorian turned to look at his companion, only to nearly drop the child’s food at the sight before him. Corin, walking around in an undershirt and boxers. Oblivious to Din’s foolishness.

First, his eyes landed on the way Corin’s plain boxers clung to his hips. There were still a few stray water droplets trickling down his toned legs. The way Corin was turned away from him, slowly bending over to set his dirty clothes in his bag on the floor and _oh_ -

Shit, what was he _doing?_

He shifted his eyes to the bed and saw it. The garment. Corin wasn’t wearing it.

Why would he be? There was likely only so long he could wear it without risking injury.

Din was admittedly a bit shocked at the trust Corin held in him. The ability to let himself be so, so vulnerable. Especially when he was used to negative reactions. 

They’d both shared so much more of themselves with each other than with anyone else. Whether Corin knew that, or not, Din wasn’t sure.

“Hey, welcome back. Uh, when are you gonna eat? I could go ask about some jobs, or something, if you want some time alone.”

Slowly moving his eyes to the back of Corin’s head- and _not_ to where the back of his shirt rode up, showing a strip of skin _just above-_

“I already ate.” He winced at the hoarseness of his voice.

Corin’s head whipped around to face him, a pink tinge gracing his face and ears. The water he’d emerged from must've been hot, Din noted. “W-when?”

Din wasn’t sure if the eye contact was worse, right now. “While you were in there.”

Standing fully now, Corin walked over to retrieve his food, taking a few glances at Din before looking away. “You took it off… out here?”

Din nodded, picking up the child after he finished eating. “Yes.”

Corin’s light pink cheeks deepened in color, for some reason, but he said nothing else, digging straight into his food.

Well, maybe Corin _did_ know.

Din proceeded to lay out what he remembered about the town, the people. 

After some (probably not enough) consideration, he even included the story of how some curious local children stole his armor to play with while he bathed.

And Corin apparently found it hysterical.

“Are you _serious?_ Did you have to chase them down in a towel, or what?” 

Din could hardly be mad at the teasing, though, when he got to see Corin’s bright eyes crinkle as he smiled and threw his head back to laugh.

He could hardly feel anything except the noticeable lightness in his chest at knowing he _caused that_.

“No, I just told them anyone who wore it without permission would be cursed forever with bad luck.” Din paused for effect, before adding “Unless they said sorry."

Again, Corin laughed. “I think the Din I know would’ve gone straight to their parents.” That got a chuckle out of the Mandalorian, bouncing the kid on his knee, who babbled as he stared at the two men.

“Well, that Din was about twenty years old, and knew very little about children.”

The other man’s head tilted a fraction, and he grinned. “Young Din sounds like he was trying his best.” Suddenly, he stood, unable to witness the chaos that ensued in Din's mind.

Instead, Corin extended his hand to a still seated, slightly shell-shocked Din. "Let's get some sleep, yeah?"

Pointedly ignoring exactly what it was he was getting himself into, Din took Corin's hand and rose, still holding the child.

After removing all of his beskar besides the helmet, he hesitated, deciding to make sure he hadn't simply hallucinated this. "Are you sure? The bed is pretty small. I could take a chair, or the floor-"

But Corin quickly cut him off. 

"No." He looked as though he'd caught himself off-guard, as well.

"I mean, that wouldn't make sense, would it? Yeah, it's small, but it's a perfectly good bed. I know you’ve been sleeping almost exclusively in that cockpit seat since we left the last planet. Just… please?" His eyes were large and irresistible- searching Din’s body language for any reaction, as there was little to be found in the unmoved helmet.

And Din made no further argument, at that.

Corin tucked the child into the crib provided by Baylis, which came with an old, wooden mobile. The kid was fascinated, watching little, hand-carved stars and moons circle around, above him.

Even if he’d noticed Din watching, Corin still wouldn’t have seen the tenderness in his eyes and the smile that graced his lips as Corin spoke in soft, loving tones to the child. 

Din hoped that someday, though, he would.

And maybe, he’d smile, back.

Maybe he’d cross the room, over to Din, and take his face in his hands, letting his fingertips linger over the roughness of his facial hair. He’d gently caress Din’s neck, feeling _just_ how quickly his heart would always beat when Corin was this close. And finally, he’d close his eyes, and pull Din in-

He wordlessly strided into the refresher, trying to make the action seem as casual as possible, and likely failing.

In practically one smooth movement, Din closed the door and removed his helmet, unsure if he could breathe for very much longer.

Some part of him was always surprised to see himself when he looked at a mirror.

Even when he took the _buy’ce_ off to eat and bathe, he rarely spared himself a passing glance in a reflective surface.

Until recently, it’d been too easy to forget he was a _person_ under the armor that protected him- one who had a face, a brain, a heart.

Emotions.

But, Corin and the child reminded him that he was, indeed, _alive_.

He gave himself a once-over. The panic was still visible in his eyes, his cheeks as flushed as they felt. Lips slightly parted, as though he was going to say something to himself.

For the first time in his life, he wanted _so much_. Thoughts like the one he'd just had were becoming more and more common, and he wasn't sure how long he could take it.

" _Stars_ , I've got to do _something_."

His reflection copied the movement of his lips, and again his mind wandered to how soft and warm the other's would feel against them. 

Din had never kissed anyone. At least, not since his parents. He'd been intimate with others- that could be done without removing his _buy'ce_ \- but the idea of kissing was on a whole new level of intimacy. Of trust.

One he hadn't craved until Corin came along.

He splashed water on his face, trying his best to clear his mind with a brief shock to his senses, before drying himself off with a towel and putting back on his helmet.

Taking a deep breath, Din opened the door, only to find Corin already bundled up in nearly all the covers on the bed.

"I thought you were going to _sleep_ in there. C'mon," Corin's sleepy face popped out of the blankets. "Let's get some rest."

"You're sure?"

The other man simply gave him a playfully annoyed glare.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming."

Din settled into the bed, as Corin reluctantly freed some of the bedding. They were comfortingly warm from his body heat, though, and Din welcomed it.

The only problem was how _close_ they were. All he wanted to do was pull Corin in, but he didn't have that right. It was far more important to him that Corin was comfortable and had his boundaries respected.

But trying to keep his mind blank only lasted so long when there was barely 4 inches between their bodies, if he wasn't nearly falling off of the bed.

He could feel more of that body heat coming from Corin's back, and he closed his eyes, trying to will away the temptation to curl up close to the other man.

Corin murmured something in his mostly asleep state that Din didn't catch. There was rustling, and then- 

The warmth was closer. Much closer. 

Again, an unintelligible noise left Corin. The noise was also closer. As though only a hand’s reach away.

Fearing what he might’ve seen if he opened his eyes- and what he would’ve done as a result- Din forced his mind to focus on _sleep_. They were simply sharing a bed. Much… closer than previous times, yes, but solely out of utility, all the same.

He couldn’t allow himself to even possibly consider anything else. That wouldn’t be fair to Corin.

The Mandalorian said nothing, instead letting himself fall asleep more comfortably than he had in days.

Maybe he should’ve considered sleeping when Corin suggested he do so, Din realized distantly, before drifting off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they're making progress! 
> 
> din's being so careful- but he's not going to be able to keep his guard up _all_ the time, is he? you know what they say about when love happens...
> 
> -mocha
> 
> discord: check my Most Recent ask on ladyirina's tumblr.
> 
> don't worry, y'all will _love_ the fic. well, some of y'all. :)


	4. There's so much I want to say (But the right words just don't come my way)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Din speaks his mind.
> 
> And Corin listens.
> 
> A pinch of UST.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot obviously late but-
> 
> Several other fics posted (which I recommend you go read, if you are 18+), two AP exams taken and one high school graduation later, I am here.
> 
> And I knew this chapter in particular would need the most editing- nearly all of it has been reworded in the past several days, probably. As for a continued posting schedule we'll figure it out, but I am free now, so there's that going for me.

Corin woke slowly the next morning, not quite ready to open his eyes, just yet.

No- he was far too comfortable, and enjoyed the warmth of whatever it was he was pressed against.

And then he felt a hand softly glide through his hair, causing him to very nearly gasp in surprise. _Din._

Out of some sheer force of will, combined with the years of his training, Corin remained completely still. 

The sensation itself wasn't bad, at all. In fact, some half-awake part of his mind hoped Din wouldn't pull his hand away, at all. He certainly could've stayed for as long as he would have been allowed.

But _why?_ Why would Din choose _this_ with him? By some miracle, the Mandalorian seemed to even enjoy his company at times, but this felt like something else altogether. Something he'd denied himself any hope or wishful thinking for.

Sharing a bed was one thing.

But they were _so close_ as he fell asleep- he must’ve gravitated towards Din’s body heat. It'd always been a problem for him as a Trooper. And now, his head rested on the other man’s chest; his ankle hooked around his calf, his arm was thrown over Din’s waist, and _oh,_ he could feel the _skin_ where his shirt rode up-

“There’s so many things I should say to you, Corin. Things you deserve to hear.”

He had to be dreaming. It wouldn't have been the first time. 

When he was completely still, and Din's voice said things he never said to an awake Corin, there was no other explanation.

Maybe, if he kept his eyes closed, though, he could drag this out a little longer. Corin wasn't sure if he would've been able to bring himself to open them, regardless. 

“I… _ni kar’tayl gar darasuum.”_

Whatever the words meant, Corin could hear the restrained emotion in his voice.

Corin hardly knew any Mando'a. He wouldn't have dreamt Din speaking it.

_This wasn't a dream._

“And I’m proud of you, for telling me. I know you had no choice, and would’ve preferred not to. I’m sorry about how you’ve been treated in the past. If it helps…”

Din seemed to be considering his words, still toying with Corin’s hair.

Corin was stunned by what he was hearing.

“Mandalorians… we have a concept. _Cin vhetin._ It’s like, uh, a fresh start. A clean slate. When one takes the Creed, their past is irrelevant. They are a Mandalorian. If… if you ever wanted…” He sighed, trailing off. “Just, know that I’ll never see you as anyone besides _you_. Whatever that may entail, for us, someday.”

A clean slate.

Us. 

It was all too good to be true. There was no way.

Din shifted, leaning up slightly more against the bed, and Corin knew the other man's eyes were on him.

"Since you and the kid have joined me, things have been different. I've been different.”

He sighed, letting his hand trace Corin's cheekbone.

"I don't know how to explain it. It's just… a lot. You make me feel things I haven't felt in a long time. If ever."

The hand moved to cup his cheek more fully, now- slightly more confident. 

“I’ve been on my own a long time. Never did I think I’d actually have a family to care about. But, I don’t think you’re going anywhere- at least, I hope not. I really want you to stay. And not just for the kid.”

He couldn’t let this continue, as desperately as he wanted to hear what Din had to say. Sooner rather than later, Corin would have to somehow find the courage to talk about this.

He was never good with these types of conversations, the ones that had the opportunity to change… _everything._

Slowly, he began to stir, causing Din’s hand to retract and land gently on his shoulder.

Corin mourned the warmth of skin against his own.

Opening his eyes, he gave the Mandalorian a shy smile. “Good morning.”

Din removed his hand altogether, now, likely assuming Corin had been too caught up in the haze of sleep to notice the touch.

But he’d felt it. He’d heard Din’s words.

“Hey,” a brief acknowledgement, yet affection tinged his voice. 

Their gazes remained locked a breath longer than necessary, before breaking contact.

_Kriff, Din knew Corin heard him._ How could he not have? He was never going to trust Corin again.

Yet he made no move to dislodge him.

The weight of Din's words still swirling in his head, he began to sit up. 

Their position was a bit awkward. He must've shifted from his side onto his back, to the other side, and then his stomach.

So, awkward as in a _very_ close proximity. Closer than necessary, even with the small bed. 

Stretching his arms high above his head, Corin surveyed the room. In a stroke of good luck, the kid had remained in the crib all night. It'd been much more comfortable than any makeshift bed he'd previously been presented, and he'd already been quite sleepy when they arrived at the inn.

Din sat up, next, and Corin tried to push any thought of what he'd heard out of his mind, for the time being. 

There was, perhaps, a solution, but he'd have to wait to try it.

Of course, the kid woke up upon hearing the two of them stirring, poked his head up, and giggled excitedly.

At them, Corin presumed.

He shot a look at the little one, a flush tinging his cheeks, and reluctantly climbed out of the warm bed.

It was difficult to suppress a grimace at how chilly the room was in comparison, though, and Din could only chuckle at his suffering.

"You're only laughing because _I'm_ the one that decided to get up," Corin muttered. He turned his attention to the kid. "I bet you're hungry, huh?"

Burbling in response, the child raised his arms, large brown eyes watching Corin expectantly.

When he turned around, child in hand, he saw that Din had moved to sit in a chair, already tying his boots.

The kid seemed to be insistent that Corin gave him to Din, at the moment, which struck him as a bit strange. He usually got a feeling when the child was about to do something mischievous, and something in the back of his mind told him to proceed carefully.

"I think he wants you to feed him, Din," Corin mused, as Din automatically took the child, murmuring something in Mando'a that made the child coo with delight. "Let me grab his food."

It was an ordinary moment for them, until he put his weight on the wooden table, reaching behind Din to scrounge through the bag that held most of their rations.

What was so strange was the fact that he'd felt the table suddenly collapsing under his hand, nearly sending him down with it. Din just barely caught him by his right bicep, and pulled him back up.

Unfortunately, so he wouldn't fall out of his own chair due to the weight imbalance, Din had to pull Corin in towards him. And so, he ended up practically in Din's lap.

Oh, this was the _last_ thing he needed after earlier. It'd been embarrassing enough to wake up wrapped around Din like he'd belonged there, and-

_Why wasn't Din pushing him off?_

Instead, his hand shifted to hold Corin in place by his waist. Even through his shirt, his skin practically burned under the other man's touch. 

"Um…" Glancing at the kid, it dawned on him. 

What a little beast this apparently innocent child was!

Din followed his gaze down to the little one, still in his left arm.

The kid giggled wildly.

"Oh, laugh it up, real funny," Corin muttered.

Then he realized Din was laughing, as well.

"T-that wasn't funny! I could've gotten hurt! And we're gonna have to pay for that!"

But he couldn't stop his hand from sliding to Din's neck, and they both leaned in, as though this were some unspoken dance they'd both memorized. His eyes fluttered closed, and he took a deep sigh as Din almost imperceptibly tightened his grip.

"Hurt from falling on the floor, huh? And we have the credits, anyway." 

There was no denying it- Corin had wanted this kind of active contact with Din for a long time. But, it meant so much more than even sharing a bed- that could be brushed off with relative ease.

This, though, was the both of them choosing to share space.

Din was never a very verbal man; Corin wasn't sure when he'd realized it was simply the man's personality, but it'd changed things for him. And with the way he acted when it came to the child- when it came to _Corin-_ it made sense that he was an "actions speak louder than words" person.

That he could only speak those words when he believed Corin to be asleep.

"You gonna let me go? We still have to feed him." With a light pat to his hip, his Mandalorian released him, and he began to stand. But, before he could raise himself enough to stand without help, another _crack_ resounded through the air.

_Naturally._

The next moment, he was on the ground. On top of Din, with his hands on the floor on either side of his torso. The two of them even closer than they'd been on the chair.

And for Corin, it was _so much worse._

He'd have been lying if he said he hadn't imagined this, too, preferably with Din's hands pulling him closer.

_Oh, no._ He wasn't going to let his mind wander. Not after the morning he'd been having already, so far.

His eyes shot to the child, who was scurrying away from Din’s grasp.

“Hey! Get back here! You can't just break stuff!” Corin stumbled onto his feet, chasing the kid around the bed into the refresher.

Din stood, content watching them with an amused tilt to his helmet.

Corin didn't notice, though, and the Mandalorian did not speak up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what the end word count will be for this fic, honestly.
> 
> When I finished pre any editing, it nearly hit 11k, and now it's at about 12.5k. This chapter is probably alone in almost being shorter after editing, because it fits what I was going for way better now lol.
> 
> & like i said, i've survived this far, and so have you. we're all in this togetherrrr~ -mocha

**Author's Note:**

> as i said, this fic has been in progress since like, early february. which means i have to Extra edit the beginning parts, as my writing ability has changed significantly in that time. i am SO sorry this fic took so long, but it's finally fucking HERE. and i am happy and terrified lol. 
> 
> (ps- the title/ chapter titles are/will be based off of 'some kind of wonderful' - the carole king version. give it a listen!)
> 
> same time next week, yeah? much love <3 - mocha


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